Big Take

In 2001, it was lipstick. After the 2008 financial crisis, it was DIY haircuts. In times of economic turmoil, consumers tend to change the way they spend on makeup and beauty. So what is the beauty industry telling us now about the state of the US economy?  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman visits a beauty convention and talks to masseuses and hair stylists ab...

Despite the global hype around China’s DeepSeek, very little is known about the man behind it – Liang Wenfeng. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Saritha Rai about the tech founder who led DeepSeek to the frontline of AI advances and what the company’s rise tells us about the battle for AI dominance. Further listening: Why DeepSeek Sent Nvidia,...

After decades in the public eye, 83-year-old media mogul and Fox co-founder Barry Diller is finally ready to tell his story.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Diller joins host David Gura to talk about his new memoir, Who Knew , his storied career as an entertainment executive and his  decision to speak publicly about his sexuality for the first time. Plus, how he’s navigating Pr...

On stage at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, editor at large for Bloomberg Weekend Mishal Husain conducted a nearly 40-minute, wide-ranging interview with billionaire Elon Musk. Husain asked Musk about his future at Tesla, his ongoing feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the possibility of Starlink going public and more. At times, the conversation grew heated, particularly when Mishal asked about...

Over the past year, Apple has pulled out all the stops to tout shiny new AI tools: from big presentations at its Worldwide Developers Conference to ads featuring  The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. Now, the company is facing questions about what it’s promised versus what it’s delivered. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman takes host Sarah Holder inside...

As of this week, the trade war between the US and China is on pause, with both sides hoping to agree on a new trade deal by early August. But questions remain about how realistic that timetable could be, given the challenges facing the world’s two largest economies, who both collaborate and compete with one another.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Former US Ambassador to China Nicho...

Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking immigrants up. A lucrative ICE contract keeps a private detention facility open that local politicians say the area needs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Rachel Adams-Heard and Fola Akinnibi examine how these private facilities are becoming key to the...

Last week, India and Pakistan saw the worst fighting in half a century — and came close to an all-out war. But the conflict came to an uneasy and sudden halt after Donald Trump declared the two countries reached a ceasefire.  On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Dan Strumpf about how the deadly clashes and ceasefire unfolded and the i...

In a stunning turn of events, the US and China announced a dramatic reduction in tariffs, which President Trump portrayed as a “total reset” with China. Stocks rose following the news, but what lies ahead once the 90-day reprieve expires remains uncertain. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Treasury reporter Dan Flatley joins host David Gura to discuss the major takeaways fro...

Japan has a matcha shortage despite record levels of production. Shops are selling out of the green tea powder as soon as they hit the shelves. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Mia Glass about the world’s obsession with matcha – and why producers can’t keep up with the rising demand. Read more: The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in...

Google has lost two antitrust cases in the past year; Meta is currently in court over alleged anti-competitive behavior. Big Tech is in a moment of reckoning that could reshape the industry – and your internet use – for decades to come. Today on the Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier and Sara Forden join host Sarah Holder to unpack the trials seeking to rein in Silicon Val...

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could me...

In late 2018, five years after launching fish-feeding company eFishery, Gibran Huzaifah found himself all out of cash. To save his business, the CEO started plugging fake numbers into financial reports. The brighter picture drew hundreds of millions of investor dollars. But his house of cards was doomed to collapse. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's David Ramli...

Warren Buffett shocked shareholders when he announced he’d be stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old business giant had been running the behemoth company for more than 50 years, and his investment decisions have earned him the nickname the “Oracle of Omaha.”  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior markets editor and Opinion columnist John Au...

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government stepped in with aid to keep mass transit agencies afloat. But that money is running out and ridership hasn’t rebounded. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sri Taylor and Aaron Gordon join host David Gura to discuss why advocates now fear many transit systems are on the verge of a so-called “death spiral”...

One month after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, Q1 earnings reports for a range of US companies are in.  On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Shelly Banjo joins host Sarah Holder to talk through what those reports are revealing about companies’ reactions to Trump’s trade war. Are they pausing, pivoting or panicking? Read more of Shelly Banjo’s work...

The uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff policies has been spooking business leaders and roiling the markets. And according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, there could be more economic pain ahead — at least in the short term.  Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg editor-at-large Francine Lacqua sits down with Solomon at the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund’s annual investment...

In electing Mark Carney as prime minister, Canadians have given him and the Liberal Party a mandate. But it was a narrow victory — one that will require Carney to work with another party to achieve his priorities. His most urgent: trade talks with US President Donald Trump. On today’s Big Take podcast, David Gura sits down with Canadian government reporter Brian Platt in Ottawa to disc...

Tuition at US colleges and universities is higher than ever. But an exclusive new Bloomberg analysis reveals that the cost of a four-year degree is particularly burdensome for middle class students and their families.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Francesca Maglione and Paulina Cachero join David Gura to break down the real cost of attending the most selective colleges...

For decades, workers, disability advocates and employers have debated a program called 14(c), a section of employment law that lets companies pay certain employees with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Proponents say the program provides opportunities for people who might not find them elsewhere. Critics say it’s exploitative and stigmatizing.  On today’s Big Take...

Chinese toy company Pop Mart is one of the hottest stocks this year thanks to the wild popularity of its Labubu dolls and other blind box toys. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about how the company’s business model could help it ride out the trade-war storm. Read more: China’s ‘Blind Box’ Magic Breeds Mill...

Amid tariff whiplash, renewed inflation concerns and turbulence in financial markets, Americans are left wondering: Do the economic vibes match our economic reality? And are we headed for a recession? Today on the show, Bloomberg senior markets editor and columnist John Authers joins host David Gura to discuss official and unofficial recession indicators and what the state of the economy tells us...

For years, a rubber and palm oil company that supplies some of the world’s top tiremakers has been dogged by allegations of sexual coercion at its plantations. Socfin — short for Société Financière des Caoutchoucs — says it has taken steps to improve matters, but an exclusive Bloomberg report shows those claims remain widespread. On today’s Big Take pod...

For decades, Singapore’s Kwek family, owners of one of the city’s biggest developers, looked to be the model of a successful family-run business. But that image was shattered when the family patriarch filed a lawsuit against his son. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Sheryl Lee and Dexter Low to examine what happened behind the boardroom...

It’s been a tough year for electric vehicles: Since President Trump took office for a second term, the US has started a complete 180 on its investment in EVs. And as Trump’s trade war continues, the industry is bracing for additional tariffs and disruption to supply chains. But one company is pushing forward: General Motors. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Detroit Bureau C...